Chapter 64
“Lady Marlene, if you want to attend to me, how about learning my schedule first? Didn't I clearly tell you that I had an important meeting today?”
As though suppressing a surge of irritation, Blanc's voice had dropped much lower than usual.
“Can you attend to me when you can't even remember basic instructions?”
At Blanc's rebuke, Marlene could no longer hold back and raised her voice.
“You can't treat me this way, Your Highness. I'm the one who saved your life. So why are you keeping that lowly maid at your side?”
Is this woman insane?
Vieta, who had been tucking her neck in like a turtle out of embarrassment over causing trouble, couldn't help glaring at Marlene. She had no idea where even to begin being angry.
“I coddled that maid?”
“Didn't you summon a maid from the Magic Department all the way to your carriage? And didn't you pull strings so that maid could enter the World Tree as well? Otherwise, how could someone so lowly possess a leaf of the World Tree?”
“…Lady, can you take responsibility for what you just said?”
“Yes, I can. I did my best to serve Your Highness, and I have nothing to be ashamed of even now.”
“Your Highness, keeping that lowly woman at your side will only damage your reputation.”
By then, the other maids who had gathered in the hallway one by one began voicing their complaints to Blanc as well.
However, the more vehemently they protested, the colder Blanc's voice became.
“Well, I hadn't realized you young ladies had such keen insight. In that case, what are you all doing here…”
Just as Blanc was about to say more, Fulcare placed a hand on his shoulder.
Fulcare whispered something to Blanc, who quietly listened before nodding.
“Let's go inside and discuss this for now.”
Blanc called the dissatisfied maids into the conference room.
As Vieta hesitated, wondering whether she was supposed to go in too, Fulcare approached her and whispered,
“No need to go in. Just follow me.”
Vieta gave Blanc a slight bow, then followed Fulcare.
***
Vieta arrived at Fulcare's room.
“Would you like something to drink?”
At Fulcare's question, Vieta silently held out the goblet that had been sitting on the table.
“Don't worry too much about what happened. Blanc will explain everything to them properly.”
“Yes, I know.”
Vieta forced a smile, but it had not been a pleasant experience. Because Marlene had singled her out, not only the other maids but even elves passing by had cast sidelong glances at her.
If Fulcare had not quickly brought the situation under control, Vieta would have been left standing awkwardly in the hallway, enduring everyone's stares.
“…Marlene must have joined the pilgrimage from the beginning with her sights set on becoming the crown princess, right?”
“Probably? But she won't be the only one. The young ladies who joined the pilgrimage, not to mention every prominent young lady in the Empire, must all be champing at the bit. The pilgrimage will be over in about a month, and barring any major upheaval, Blanc will become the Empire's crown prince.”
Fulcare stared into space as though deep in thought.
“Blanc was twenty-four, wasn't he? At his age, they won't be able to leave the position of crown princess vacant for long. They'll probably announce her alongside his investiture as crown prince, or choose her within a month or two at the latest.”
Vieta carefully considered Fulcare's words.
If Blanc was in a situation where he had to choose a crown princess soon, then it was only right for her to distance herself from him even now.
She could never become the crown princess, and Blanc was not the sort of man to take a woman he did not love as his wife.
Besides, it would only be three months at most.
She was not turning her back on him forever. She could endure three months.
If she changed her attitude now, Blanc would be hurt, but since he had not confessed, perhaps it would be better to explain everything properly when he chose a crown princess rather than rejecting him before he had even confessed.
“By the way, Captain, what are you going to do now? We agreed from the start to accompany the pilgrimage only as far as the World Tree.”
“Since we've come this far, I might as well keep following the procession. But I'm quitting as a maid.”
While sorting the parchments scattered haphazardly around the room, Fulcare made a baffled face.
“Instead, I'll follow along in secret.”
“…If this is because of what happened today, why don't you come work under me again?”
Vieta shook her head instead of answering.
Even if she transferred to Fulcare's command, as long as she remained a maid, she would inevitably become entangled with Blanc.
For now, it was important to increase the distance between them.
“Captain, are you uncomfortable around Blanc?”
“Of course not.”
Vieta pretended to be completely unfazed.
“I just want to live quietly for a while.”
“Then are you going to move to the countryside and take up farming?”
“That wouldn't be so bad. ”
The peaceful scenery of the World Tree beyond the window filled Vieta's large eyes.
***
The procession could finally depart only after another two days had passed.
There had been much discussion between the World Tree and the Empire over Laisen's fate.
The World Tree wanted to imprison Laisen in the underground dungeon, while the Empire wanted him executed.
After lengthy negotiations, Laisen was imprisoned with all his powers sealed, and the Empire was granted periodic leaves from the World Tree.
Although it had nothing to do with the Empire's interests, the leaves of the World Tree were to be used as research material for cleansing the corrupted elven energy within Blanc's body.
Based on the facts uncovered in the investigation, Elrod issued a statement clearing the Empire's name and promoting reconciliation. To restore even a little of the Empire's battered image, imperial knights and mages traveled throughout the Elven Kingdom, lending a hand wherever they could.
I will visit the Empire soon. Until then, may the goddess's blessing be with you.”
As a result, unlike their shabby arrival, which no one had welcomed, the pilgrimage procession was able to leave the World Tree and head for the Empire amid farewells from countless elves, including Elrod.
Although everything had ended safely, Blanc's heart was not at ease.
It was because of Vieta.
At some point, her behavior had subtly changed.
Vieta still treated him with her bright, kind attitude, but Blanc sensed something off in her behavior that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
The fact that she had said she would quit being a maid and secretly follow the pilgrimage was proof enough.
If she had been upset by the incident with Marlene, or if the escort assignment had become too difficult, she could simply quit the assignment.
Conversely, if she intended to continue taking the assignment, there was no reason for her to follow them secretly.
Although Marlene had caused a commotion, it was not nearly serious enough for Vieta to quit being a maid.
Besides that, whenever he spoke to her, she responded warmly, but that was all. She no longer teased him as she used to, nor did she come looking for him.
“What on earth is the problem?"
Could he be mistaken? Was she uncomfortable because of the maids, or was there something he was missing?
Countless thoughts flitted through Blanc's mind as he leaned against the carriage.
***
“Phew.”
About a kilometer away from the pilgrimage procession, Vieta began preparing to spend the night.
All she had been given was a makeshift tent, enough preserved rations to last about a week, and a single horse.
Fulcare and Blanc had tried to give her all sorts of things, but carrying extra baggage would only make things more difficult.
After lighting a campfire, Vieta led the horse toward a stream.
While the horse, exhausted from running all day, quenched its thirst, Vieta dampened a towel and wiped down her sticky body.
She wanted to plunge herself into the water rather than wipe herself down bit by bit, but it would be troublesome if she happened to run into some unsuspecting soldier or knight.
Having washed herself, all that remained was to eat and find a place to sleep.
Returning to the campfire, Vieta began cooking a simple soup in the small bowl she had brought.
It was a dish she had occasionally made while wandering through the Demon Realm, and even if it required a little extra effort, filling her stomach with hot broth outdoors was far better than eating the dry, tough preserved rations as they were.
"It's more palatable than I expected. Is it because the jerky is good?"
Vieta smacked her lips as she finished her meal.
All that remained now was to wait until dawn.
An ordinary person would have gone to bed with a full stomach, but that did not apply to Vieta.
Two or three hours of sleep a day was enough for her.
"?!"
With nothing else to do, Vieta lay on her blanket and stared blankly at the flickering campfire. Then, sensing someone's presence, she sat up.
Looking around, she saw someone walking toward her in the distance.
The figure revealed by the faint moonlight was Blanc.
Startled by the unexpected visitor, Vieta's mouth fell open.
“Don't tell me you came all the way here without an escort?”
Seeing Blanc, who had already settled down near the campfire, Vieta asked,
“Vieta.”
But instead of answering, Blanc called her name in a low voice.
“What was that fellow Fulcare thinking, sending you out here alone at this hour?”
“Vieta.”
Blanc called her name again, putting force into it.
Taken aback by his unusual demeanor, Vieta stared at Blanc without saying a word.
Blanc hesitated for a moment, then quietly spoke.
“Are you hiding something from me?”
Blanc's eyes were trembling as he said it.